Letters - Monday

Government out of control

While the passage in the House by a narrow margin of the cap-and-trade energy bill will be devastating to the American economy and to the political and economic liberties of American citizens, it is just the latest example of an out-of-control federal government. This bill was passed in spite of an overwhelming citizen outcry against it. (I made a number of calls to Washington only to find mailboxes full and unable to receive messages.)

This bill comes on top of a federal government takeover of our financial system, our banking system, the auto industry, and in the midst of its trying to take over our health care system. None of which the average American citizen wants.

What puzzles me are the motives of our president and representatives. Do they really believe government can make better choices for the individual than the individual himself or that it can better allocate resources than the free market? Or is it a manifestation of their greed for power and control? Or is it a question of such divisiveness, of my side against your side, that winning for the sake of winning is the only criterion? I suspect it is a combination of these.

Whatever their motives, their actions are bringing about the destruction of America as it was constitutionally instituted. Their actions are nothing short of an assault on America's political and moral roots. Indeed, their actions are those of a tyrannical government, totally out of touch with the citizens and totally out of control.

People are under obligation to government only to the point of illegitimate action. Then they have the right to resist government. There is a delicate balance between obedience to government, on the one hand, and consent to its existence, on the other.

Unfortunately, we have not been watchful guardians of our liberties; indeed, we have squandered them. But it is not too late to restore them, and now is the time to take up our responsibility to resist the destruction taking place before our eyes.

Pat Francomano, Colorado Springs

Domestic violence very real

Contrary to The Gazette's June 23 Our View, "The wedding fee," the problem of domestic abuse is a societal one that contributes to homelessness, poverty, loss of productivity and safety issues in the workplace, skyrocketing health care costs, and substance abuse, teen pregnancy and crime among youth, among other societal ills.

Domestic abuse does not discriminate; it cuts across all sociodemographic populations.

Since 25 percent of women and 7 percent of men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes, almost everyone knows a mother, sister, brother, aunt or friend who has been a victim of, or impacted by, domestic or sexual abuse. Just as domestic abuse does not discriminate on the basis of race, class, religion, age or ethnicity, it exists in some marriages, just as in other types of relationships. In fact, the nonprofit, community-based domestic abuse programs that will receive the funding generated by the marriage license surcharge in order to reduce the growing unmet need in Colorado Springs and across the state, provide life-saving services to over 13,000 married victims of domestic abuse every year.

Statistics indicate that 25 percent of couples applying for marriage licenses across the state will eventually need the services domestic abuse programs provide.

Programs cite escalating domestic abuse situations fueled by the recession and a lack of funding, staff and capacity as reasons they have to turn away vulnerable members of our community. So, to all you engaged couples out there, earnestly ask yourselves whether it is worth a modest $20 to ensure a safe haven exists to meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of your community, your family and friends, or yourself.

Laura Holliday, Colorado Springs

Dialysis dollars endanger care

I read with considerable annoyance The Gazette's June 28 article about the strong-arm tactics used by DaVita Inc. against Dr. Jesse Flaxenburg to preserve market share in its dialysis business ("A David vs. Goliath battle emerges in the fight for dialysis dollars").

I am appalled that a doctor's advice might be tainted by a noncompete agreement with a Fortune 500 corporation. This is just plain wrong. There should never be hidden or backroom agreements of any sort that might interfere with medical choices made by doctors and their patients. This practice creates obvious conflicts of interest that have no business being in the examining room and is an example of how seriously broken our health care system is.

Charles Rollman, Colorado Springs

Change needed in health care

Having raised three daughters, and for many years as a single parent my life was determined by what employer could provide me the best benefits and health care plan for my family. What a joy it would have been to take a job or start a business in some field I would have loved, versus having my total life dictated by employee benefits.

How creative would our society be if we all didn't have to worry about health care costs.

I have a nephew who joined the Army just so he could get his teeth fixed.

This is the United States, the richest nation in the world. Why should any American citizen go without health insurance? This is not a Democratic or Republican position; this is a humanitarian position.

Elaine Brush, Colorado Springs